Faculty Seminar in Central Europe:
"Central Europe's Environmental Crisis: Scientific, Social, and Cultural Perspectives"

Summer 2003

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

June 11 Prague

“Urban Sprawl, City Planning, and Land-Use Issues,” Tomas Gremlica and Vladimira Zelenkova, Institute for Environmental Policy

June 12 Prague

“Transportation Problems in Prague: Transportation for the 21^st Century,” Miroslav Kundrata (Director) and Ales Kutak, Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation

Miroslav Kundrata, from Brno, Czech Republic, was director of Veronika newsletter in 1991 when he participated in the Sofia meeting of environmental non-governmental organisations. For the past four [and now more] years, he has been director of the Environmental Partnerships Program in the Czech Republic

June 13 Bus to Most, Visit to the destroyed lands—The Most Region

Renata Menclová and Mgr. Frantisek Bína, Euroregion Krušnohohori

Euroregion Krušnohori seeks to promote cross-border cooperation in the areas of economic development and social policy, the Euroregion for the Ore Mountains (Krušnohori) was established in 1992. It consists of the Czech districts of Most, Chomutov, Louny, Teplice, Litomerice, and, on the German side of the border, the districts Marienberg, Annaberg, Stollberg and Freiberg.

June 14

Pollution, Deforestation, and Reclamation, The Jizera (Jizerské hory) Mountains
The Association for the Jizerské hory Mts. was founded in 1999 with a mission of recovering the harmonious countryside of the Jizerské hory Mts. and of recovering a harmonious relationship between the people and this landscape. In addition to its forestry activities, the organization seeks to balance the protection of nature and with the interests of visitors. For instance, in June 2000 the group arranged for the building of a viewing tower in the Na Čihadle peat bog so that visitors could view this endangered and very sensitive area without entering the peat bog. The Administration of the Protected Landscape Area of the Jizerské hory Mountains (Správa CHKO Jizerské hory) is involved in similar efforts.

June 15 Palacky University, Olomouc

Olomouc orientation, Prof. Jaroslav Peprník, English Department
“Introduction to Environmental issues in Central Europe,” Dr. Gaudenz Assenza
“Civil Society and National Minorities in Central Europe,” Ms. Marketa Sustkova

June 16 Palacky University, Olomouc

Meeting with vice-president of the University
“Nuclear Energy: Temelin, Chernobyl and Semipalatinsk,” Dr. Gaudenz Assenza
Field trip: The Hanusovice Brewery

June 17 Palacky University, Olomouc

“The Black Triangle: Air Pollution and Health Impact in Central Europe,” Dr. Gaudenz Assenza
“European Union Environmental Policy and Enlargement,” Dr. Dan Marek
“Czech Social Policy,” Dr. Dan Marek
“Dissident Movements in Central Europe,” Dr. Jiri Lach

June 18 Palacky University, Olomouc

“Economic Transformation in Central Europe,” Mr. Oldrich Bures
“Women under Communism,” Ms. Marketa Sustkova
“Central Europe and the European Union,” Mr. Jakub Durr
“Central Europe History Post 1945,” Dr. Jiri Lach

June 19 Palacky University, Olomouc

“The Aral Sea: Ecological Catastrophe Without Solution”; also, “The Future Outlook for the Central European Environment,” Dr. Gaudenz Assenza

June 20 The Moravian Beauties

Bus to Pálava Natural Reserve and Mikulov, with long hike and outdoor guided tour

June 21 Visit to Bratislava and Gabcikovo

Tour of Gabcikovo, with Dr. Peter Huncik, M.D., Director, Marai Sandor Foundation, Bratislava, Slovakia
The continuing controversy over Gabcikovo and the diversion of the Danube entails more than a conflict between development and environmental values. It also involves questions of state identity and the treatment of ethnic/national minorities.

June 22 Free day in Budapest

June 23 Budapest

Question and Answer Session with Staff Members of The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (CER) on “Sustainability and Democracy/Stakeholder Involvement in Development Issues”
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) is a non-advocacy, not-for-profit organization that “fulfills its mission through encouraging cooperation among non-governmental organisations, governments and businesses, supporting the free exchange of information and promoting public participation in environmental decision-making.” The REC has its head office in Szentendre, Hungary, and country offices in 15 Central and Eastern European countries. See the REC’s web site at www.rec.org for an extensive set of material on environmental concerns in the region, including free publications, annual reports, and downloadable copies of The Bulletin: the Quarterly Magazine of the REC, which contains numerous articles of interest.

Takács Gábor, Energia Klub
According to its web site, “The Energy Club is a Hungarian environmental NGO that deals mostly with the promotion of renewable energies and energy efficiency, as well as dealing with anti-nuclear issues.”

Prof. Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, Director of the PhD program, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University

June 24 Budapest/Bus to Southern Moravia/Lednice/Valtice

Hungary’s National Environmental Program, Prof. Miklós Bulla, Secretary General, Hungarian National Environmental Council, Ms. Piroska Guzli and Other NEC Representatives.

June 25 Depart Lednice; Last day/night in Prague